The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Some Other Time

The song of the day for Thursday, February 18, 2016 is “Some Other Time.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “Some Other Time,” was written in 1944 by Leonard Bernstein, with lyrics by Adolph Green and Betty Comden. It was written for the musical On The Town, the story of three sailors on leave in New York City and their romantic adventures. This song is sung at the end by two of the couples. Inexplicably, this beautiful song was cut from the 1949 film version.

This is one of my favorite songs ever written. It joins that handful of songs that have their own playlist on my iPod. At last count, I had 10 versions. Next to the recording by Tony Bennett and Bill Evans, I also love the ones by Blossom Dearie, Barbara Cook and the recording from The Bernstein Songbook, with Comden, Green, Nancy Walker and Cris Alexander.

About This Version

Today’s recording of “Some Other Time” is from The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album, recorded in 1975. There’s nothing left to say other than it’s perfect. Every note.

Some Other Time

“Some Other Time,” as well as The Complete Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Recordings, is available from iTunes.

Just a note here: iTunes is offering The Complete Tony Bennett/ Bill Evans Recordings for $9.99. This includes both of their albums, as well as alternate takes. If you don’t have it already, this is a great addition to the musical library of any Tony Bennett fan.

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Song of the Day: Some Other Time

The song of the day for Friday, May 22, 2015 is “Some Other Time.”

About This Song

“Some Other Time” was composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green in 1944 for the musical On The Town, the story of three sailors on leave in New York City and their romantic adventures. This song is sung at the end by two of the couples. Inexplicably, this beautiful song was cut from the 1949 film version.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this song in 1975 with Bill Evans for The Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album. I love this album dearly and this recording most of all. The reviewer Steve Schwartz noted in his review on the Classical Net website:

The high point of the album for me is Leonard Bernstein’s “Some Other Time,” from his first show, On the Town. I can’t think of too many singers diligent enough to seek the song out or with the courage to perform it. Though gorgeous, this number has several land mines for the singer – unusual harmonic shifts and, most obviously, the climactic phrase “Oh well,” beginning on the highest note in the song and descending an octave. The snare usually results in either a constricted or falsetto’d “Oh,” and there’s no place for the singer to hide. Bennett carries it off.

Indeed he does.

Some Other Time

Bill Evans, Tony Bennett · The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album (Expanded Edition) · Song · 1975


“Some Other Time,” as well as The Complete Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album Recordings, is available from iTunes. This set includes both of the albums that Bennett and Evans recorded: The Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album and Together Again, along with alternate versions for several songs.

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Song of the Day: Some Other Time

The song of the day for Sunday, March 23, 2014 is “Some Other Time.”

About This Song

“Some Other Time” is from the 1944 musical On The Town. The music was written by Leonard Bernstein and the lyrics were written by Adolph Green and Betty Comden. The plot concerns three sailors on a 24-hour leave. Other great songs from this show are “New York, New York” and “I Can Cook, Too.” Some Other Time is one of the loveliest tunes that Bernstein ever wrote.

About This Version

Today’s song is from the first album that Tony Bennett made with Bill Evans: The Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album. This song is one of my favorites from the album. In the show, it’s sung as a quartet by the two couples as they say goodbye. Even though they promise to ‘catch up some other time,’ that promise comes into to question with the wonderful ‘Oh well,” which drops a full octave. Both musicians found the heart of the song and the result is extraordinary. And heart-breaking, as it should be.

http://open.spotify.com/track/7wuNnS40gfC3vF6NLoATqu
“Some Other Time,” as well as The Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Some Other Time

The song of the day for Monday, December 2, 2013 is “Some Other Time.”

“Some Other Time” was written by Leonard Bernstein, with lyrics by Adolph Green and Betty Comden, for the 1944 Broadway musical On The Town. Adolph Green was born on this day, December 2, 1914, and was born and raised in the Bronx. He met and partnered up with Betty Comden in 1938 and they worked together for many years. In his early years, they met and worked with Leonard Bernstein and Judy Holliday, who went on to star in the musical Bells Are Ringing, for which Comden and Green wrote the lyrics. Comden and Green also wrote the screenplay for the great film musical Singin’ In The Rain.

About This Version

Today’s version of “Some Other Time” is an alternate take (take 7) from The Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album, released in 1975. The song is one of my favorites from this album and I’m quite happy to have a good reason, other than my love for the song, to choose it for today. Bennett finds depth and nuance in this song that I’ve never heard in any of dozen or so versions of this song that I have listened too. It’s a true masterpiece.

http://open.spotify.com/track/4GpjSjgl1XVD6IXX9nj6bP
“Some Other Time,” as well as The Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album, is available from iTunes.